Body side guard

Abstract

A body side guard for vehicles having an elongated holder assembly rigidly mounted to the side of the vehicle being protected. The holder assembly has a longitudinal slot and an elongated foldable guard member for protecting the vehicle. The guard members have a substantially flat shape and are cooperatively and slidably received by the longitudinal slot to snuggly engage therewith. A locking mechanism on each guard member releasably holding it in place with respect to the holder assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A body side guard for vehicles, comprising: A. an elongated holder assembly rigidly mounted to the side of said vehicle being protected and said holder assembly including a longitudinal slot;   B. elongated guard means for protecting said vehicle and having a substantially flat shape, and said elongated guard means being cooperatively and slidably received by said longitudinal slot to snuggly engage therewith and said elongated guard means includes a plurality of foldable sections that are contiguously hingedly connected to each other.   
     
     
       2. The body side guard set forth in claim 1 wherein said elongated guard means include a flexible tape connecting said contiguous sections thereby implementing said hinged connection. 
     
     
       3. The body side guard set forth in claim 2 further including locking means for keeping said elongated guard means securely mounted to said elongated holder assembly. 
     
     
       4. The body side guard set forth in claim 3 wherein said locking means includes a spring biased within said holder assembly and a cooperative cavity in said elongated guard means thereby keeping said guard means releasably locked in place. 
     
     
       5. The body side guard set forth in claim 4 wherein said locking means includes a locking pin member, a cooperative opening through said holder assembly and a cooperating cavity in said guard means. 
     
     
       6. The body side guard set forth in claim 2 wherein said guard means is made out of a substantially flexible material that includes a transversal portion wherein the thickness is reduced sufficiently to implement said hinged connection. 
     
     
       7. The body side guard set forth in claim 6 further including locking means for keeping said elongated guard means securely mounted to said elongated holder assembly. 
     
     
       8. The body side guard set forth in claim 7 wherein said locking means includes a spring biased ball member within said holder assembly and a cooperative cavity in said elongated guard means thereby keeping said guard means releasably locked in place. 
     
     
       9. The body side guard set forth in claim 7 wherein said locking means includes a locking pin member, a cooperative opening through said holder assembly and a cooperating cavity in said guard means.